I almost cried today

I was coming home from a weekend duty assignment and decided to stop at the store for some groceries. As I was walking up to the door I passed a white Caddy that had just parked in a handicap spot up front. As I was walking twards the car (noticing the Purple Heart on the licence plate) the driver's door opened and an elderly gentelman began to exit the car, he stumbled and sliped and fell onto the pavment with one leg still inside his car. Naturaly I rushed over to him to help him up and make sure he was okay. I grabed him under his arms and lifted him up, then held him untill he got his balance again.
I asked "Sir, are you okay? That was one nasty fall"
He turned around and looked me from head to toe noting my uniform. At this time I noticed the man's hat, it was a Vietnam Vet's ball cap with service pins and a Butter Bar mounted proudly on the crown.
His voice was quiet and shakey when he said "Thank you PFC, I'm okay now".
I gave him a smile and told him "We gotta take care of our own Sir".
His eyes got big, then watery and he hugged me. Right smack in the front of the parking lot. He let out a sort of low and squeaky "God bless you son". We parted and I noticed a woman who I assume is his wife standing next to us with a big ol smile. I told her "Good evnin' Mam'" as I began to walk away twards the store agian and said to the gentelman "Take care L.T.".

I'm not completely sure what it was about this encounter that got to me. Maybe it was the chance to help out a fellow serviceman, or the oprotunity to look into the eyes of one of America's true Heros. Maybe just the fact that a small connection between "yesterday" and "today" was made in those short moments. What ever it was, I had to dry my eyes a little as I walked into the store.

Ya know, when I posted this I didnt know how yall would respond. It seemed kind of trivial, sorta "what's the big deal?". To be truthfull I thought I'd get made fun of for making a deal of nothing, but I also thought maybe one or two folks would get it and understand. I in no way excpected these kinds of responces from so many folks.
I did what seemed right, and natural. At the time I didnt even think of it, I just did it and I realy didnt think yall would see it the way I did.

I'm glad to see how wrong I was. I'm glad to see that there are folks out there who can understand and appreciate these subtle gifts we can give to each other. Because to each other these gifts arent so subtle.